Argentina to Take on Germany for Third Time in World Cup Final

Argentina celebrates defeating the Netherlands in a shootout during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Semi Final match at Arena de Sao Paulo in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on July 9, 2014. Photographer: Clive Rose/Getty Images

July 10 (Bloomberg) -- Argentina eliminated the Netherlands
in a penalty shootout to set up a third meeting with Germany in
the World Cup final.

After a scoreless game in Sao Paulo yesterday, Argentina
goalkeeper Sergio Romero saved penalty kicks by Ron Vlaar and
Wesley Sneijder to help his team win the shootout 4-2.

“Penalties are a question of luck,” Romero told
reporters. “I had confidence in myself and, fortunately,
everything turned out well.”

Germany will make a record eighth appearance in the World
Cup final at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro on July 13.
Diego Maradona led Argentina to a second world title with a 3-2
win over Germany in the 1986 final. Germany avenged the loss
four years later with a 1-0 win for a third World Cup win.
Neither has won the tournament since.

After easing to a record 7-1 win over Brazil two days ago,
Germany is the 8-11 favorite to win the final at U.K. bookmaker
Ladbrokes, with Argentina rated an 11-10 chance.

“We have a day’s less rest than Germany but we’ll face
that game with honesty and humility,” Argentina coach Alejandro
Sabella told reporters. “Germany has shown great physical power
and mental strength.”

‘Hard Game’

The Dutch will play in the third-place match July 12
against five-time champion Brazil.

Argentina had five shots on goal and the Netherlands had
two during 120 minutes of play, with the Dutch having a slight
advantage in possession.

“In all the other matches we created more chances,”
Netherlands coach Louis Van Gaal, who will join Manchester
United after the World Cup, told reporters. “That says
something about the tactical match we played in.”

Rodrigo Palacio had the best chance of the game with five
minutes remaining in the second period of extra time. The
substitute couldn’t get any power on his header, which was
easily gathered by Dutch goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen after the
forward got past the Dutch defense.

Minutes later Maxi Rodriguez’s volley from a cross by
Lionel Messi bounced straight to Cillessen.

“It was a very hard game, very equal,” Sabella said. “We
had a few clearer goal-scoring chances.”

Independence Day

The game was played on a public holiday in Argentina for
Independence Day. In Rosario, the hometown of Messi, Angel Di
Maria and Rodriguez, people streamed toward the Monumento de la
Bandera to celebrate the win.

Germany’s victory was the most lopsided in a World Cup
semifinal. The worst defeat in Brazilian history was also the
biggest loss for a tournament host. The rout ended a run of 63
competitive matches at home without a defeat for Brazil, going
back to 1975.

Striker Miroslav Klose got Germany’s second goal to become
the career scoring leader in the World Cup with 16 goals, one
more than Brazilian Ronaldo.

The margin of defeat matched a 6-0 drubbing for Brazil by
Uruguay in the Copa America in 1920. Brazil’s previous biggest
loss at the World Cup was 3-0 to France in 1998, while the most
goals it had conceded at the tournament prior to yesterday was
against Poland in a 6-5 win after extra time in 1938.

Brazil has now blown its two chances to win the World Cup
on home soil. In 1950, it lost the final game 2-1 to Uruguay to
allow its southern neighbor to claim a second title. A draw
would have secured Brazil’s first world title.